Johan in Huila, an undiscovered corner of Colombia

Photos to make you green with envy

This week, whilst we’re here in chilly Holland, we received a number of enviable photos that we naturally don’t want to keep from you.

The lesser-known side of Colombia

‘On Saturday, I arrived in Neiva, the capital of the Huila region. A region of Colombia that has barely been explored. It soon became clear to me that I was once again in a beautiful part of Latin America. No matter how often I travel to Latin America, there’s always something new to discover.”

Tatacoa Desert

​So, our first stop was the Tatacoa Desert, south-west of Bogotá. It’s no secret that Colombia is rich in natural beauty, but this area is certainly a strange, yet definitely noteworthy, oddity. The desert-like landscape offers stunning, breathtaking views. Here, we went for a walk through the moon-like landscape of the Valle del Cusco and visited the unique Bethel Bio Luxury hotel. We also visited the historic village of Villavieja, where, amongst other things, we visited the Patio de la Ceramica – a workshop where beautiful pottery is crafted using traditional methods. The wonderful thing about this workshop is that it was founded as a co-operative by single women. In the evening, we enjoyed an excellent dinner at Casa del Angel, a lovely small-scale accommodation set in a historic building. Fun fact: Simón Bolívar stayed here for a while.

Welcome to San Agustín

The next day, we were taken to San Agustín. This place is famous for being home to Colombia’s most important archaeological site. The earliest remains date back to 3000 BC, but the most significant tombs and sculptures date from the beginning of the Common Era, around 900 AD. The archaeological site covers 78 hectares, but forms part of an area of no less than 50,000 hectares where these sculptures have been found. This site is considered to be the largest necropolis in the world.

As well as this archaeological site, there is much more to see and do in and around San Agustín. The town lies within the so-called Colombian Massif, an area where the Andes split into three mountain ranges and run through Colombia from north to south. Colombia’s major rivers also have their sources here: the Magdalena, the Cauca and the Putumayo. Due to the variations in altitude and the many microclimates, this area boasts unspoilt nature and is an excellent spot for birdwatching. If you’re lucky, you might also spot spectacled bears and pumas here. Unfortunately, we only found tracks of a spectacled bear that had passed this way a few days earlier.

On Monday, we visited the ‘Magdalena Strait’, a spectacular viewpoint by the Magdalena River. Later, we rode on horseback to La Chiquira. This is another fantastic viewpoint with sculptures overlooking the valley and river. During these days, we stayed at the small, rustic Yama Hotel in San Agustín. In short, it’s a brilliant trip.’

There’s work to be done too

But of course, there’s work to be done too. Johan is currently attending a trade fair in Bogotá to meet our partners, network and gather inspiration. Later this week, he’ll be visiting Medellín, and then it’ll be time to fly home again, with a suitcase full of fresh inspiration.